Information processing apparatus and method, recording medium, and program

ABSTRACT

An information processing apparatus and method make it possible for persons at remote places to enjoy simultaneous playback of contents while promoting copyright and privacy protection. A copyright authentication section decides, based on a copyright restriction added to a content and license information stored in a license storage section, whether utilization of the content is permitted. An accounting processing section, in response to a result of the decision, cooperates with an authentication sever to perform accounting. A privacy authentication section decides, based on the privacy restriction and privacy information, whether utilization of the content is permitted. A permission request processing section, in response to a result of the decision, performs a communication process with a communication apparatus, which has a privacy management right in the content.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.11/572,597 filed Jan. 24, 2007, the entire content of which isincorporated herein by reference. U.S. application Ser. No. 11/572,597is a National State of PCT/JP05/13289 filed Jul. 20, 2005 and claimspriority to Japanese Application No. 2004-218528 filed Jul. 27, 2004.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to an information processing apparatus andmethod, a recording medium, and a program, and particularly to aninformation processing apparatus which synthesizes, in cooperation witha different information processing apparatus connected thereto through anetwork, the same content and sound and images of individual users ofboth information processing apparatus such that both informationprocessing apparatus play back the content and the sound and images ofthe users in synchronism with each other, and an information processingmethod, a recording medium, and a program.

BACKGROUND ART

Conventionally, as apparatus for use for exchange between persons atremote places (such exchange is hereinafter referred to as remote placecommunication), a telephone set, a visual telephone set, a videoconference system and so forth are available. Also a method wherein apersonal computer or the like is used and connected to the Internet toperform text chatting, video chatting which involves an image and soundor the like is available.

Also it has been proposed for persons who try to execute remote placecommunication to use individual personal computers or the like to sharea virtual space or share the same content through the Internet. Forexample, it is proposed in Patent Document 1 to cooperatively produce acontent in a virtual common space in which only authenticated users canparticipate and share the content.

[Patent Document 1]

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-229282

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Problem to be Solved by the Invention

However, the conventional method wherein persons at remote places sharethe same content has a subject that contents which become an object ofsharing are limited.

In particular, since conventionally the personal use is restricted touse within a terminal, infringement upon the copyright or privacy issuppressed if a content is used for the purpose of personal enjoyment.However, where the same content is shared by persons at remote places,even if the persons at remote places intend to personally enjoy acontent, there is the possibility that use of the content may result ininfringement upon the copyright or privacy because the communication isperformed through a network.

Therefore, the conventional method has a subject that, where persons atremote places share the same content while the protection of thecopyright or privacy is promoted, the content is limited to thosecontents which can be viewed by all of the users, for example, contentsproduced in such a common space as described above or contents which donot require protection of the copyright or privacy and are distributedwithout any charge.

The present invention has been made in view of such a situation asdescribed above, and it is an object of the present invention to make itpossible for persons at remote places to view various contents at thesame time while the protection of the copyright or privacy is promoted.

Means for Solving the Problem

An information processing apparatus of the present invention includes afirst utilization decision section configured to decide based oncopyright restriction information added to content data whether or notutilization of the content data is permitted, a second utilizationdecision section configured to decide based on personal informationrestriction information added to the content data whether or notutilization of the content data is permitted, and a synchronous playbacksection configured to play back, when it is decided by the first andsecond decision sections that utilization of the content data ispermitted, the content data in synchronism with a different informationprocessing apparatus by which it is decided based on the copyrightrestriction information and the personal information restrictioninformation that utilization of the content data is permitted.

The copyright restriction information may include sharing restrictioninformation for restricting synchronous playback of the content data bythe synchronous playback section with the different informationprocessing apparatus, and the information processing apparatus mayfurther comprise a sharing authentication decision section configured todecide whether or not synchronous playback of the content data by thesynchronous playback section with the different information processingapparatus is to be authenticated based on the sharing restrictioninformation.

The information processing apparatus may further include a notificationcontrol section configured to control, where utilization restriction isapplied to utilization of the content data which is decided to bepermitted by the first utilization decision section based on thecopyright restriction information or to utilization of the content datawhich is decided to be permitted by the second utilization decisionsection based on the personal information restriction information,notification of the utilization restriction.

The information processing apparatus may further include a recordingcontrol section configured to control recording of the content databased on the copyright restriction information and the personalinformation restriction information.

The information processing apparatus may further include a receptionsection configured to receive sound and an image of a user from theother information processing apparatus, and a synthesis sectionconfigured to synthesize sound and an image of the content data playedback in synchronism by the playback section and the sound and the imageof the user received by the reception section.

An information processing method of the present invention includes afirst utilization decision step of deciding based on copyrightrestriction information added to content data whether or not utilizationof the content data is permitted, a second utilization decision step ofdeciding based on personal information restriction information added tothe content data whether or not utilization of the content data ispermitted, and a synchronous playback step of playing back, when it isdecided by the processes at the first and second decision steps thatutilization of the content data is permitted, the content data insynchronism with a different information processing apparatus by whichit is decided based on the copyright restriction information and thepersonal information restriction information that utilization of thecontent data is permitted.

A program recorded on a recording medium of the present inventionincludes a first utilization decision step of deciding based oncopyright restriction information added to content data whether or notutilization of the content data is permitted, a second utilizationdecision step of deciding based on personal information restrictioninformation added to the content data whether or not utilization of thecontent data is permitted, and a synchronous playback step of playingback, when it is decided by the processes at the first and seconddecision steps that utilization of the content data is permitted, thecontent data in synchronism with a different information processingapparatus by which it is decided based on the copyright restrictioninformation and the personal information restriction information thatutilization of the content data is permitted.

A program of the present invention includes a first utilization decisionstep of deciding based on copyright restriction information added tocontent data whether or not utilization of the content data ispermitted, a second utilization decision step of deciding based onpersonal information restriction information added to the content datawhether or not utilization of the content data is permitted, and asynchronous playback step of playing back, when it is decided by theprocesses at the first and second decision steps that utilization of thecontent data is permitted, the content data in synchronism with adifferent information processing apparatus by which it is decided basedon the copyright restriction information and the personal informationrestriction information that utilization of the content data ispermitted.

In the present invention, it is decided based on copyright restrictioninformation added to content data whether or not utilization of thecontent data is permitted, and it is decided based on personalinformation restriction information added to the content data whether ornot utilization of the content data is permitted. Then, if it is decidedthat utilization of the content data is permitted, then the content datais played back in synchronism by the information processing apparatuswith the different information apparatus by which it is decided thatutilization of the content is permitted based on the copyrightrestriction information and the personal information restrictioninformation.

The network is a mechanism wherein at least two apparatus are connectedto each other such that information can be transmitted from a certainone of the apparatus to the other one of the apparatus. The apparatuswhich communicate with each other through the network may be apparatuswhich are independent of each other or internal blocks which form asingle apparatus.

Meanwhile, the communication may be any of wireless communication, wirecommunication and communication which includes both of wirelesscommunication and wire communication, that is, communication whereinwireless communication is performed in a certain interval and wirecommunication is performed in another interval. Further, suchcommunication may be used wherein communication from a certain apparatusto another apparatus is performed by wire communication whilecommunication from the latter apparatus to the former apparatus isperformed by wireless communication.

Effects of the Invention

According to the present invention, persons at remote places can enjoysimultaneous playback of various contents while the protection of thecopyright or the privacy is promoted. Further, according to the presentinvention, license sale of contents of an object of simultaneousplayback is promoted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view showing an example of a configuration of acommunication system of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a view showing an example of an image used in thecommunication system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 2B is a view showing another example of an image used in thecommunication system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 2C is a view showing a further example of an image used in thecommunication system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3A is a view showing an example of a synthesized pattern of imagesof a content and images of users.

FIG. 3B is a view showing an example of a synthesized pattern of imagesof the content and an image of a user.

FIG. 3C is a view showing another example of a synthesized pattern ofthe images of the content and the image of the user.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of acommunication apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating a remote communication process ofthe communication apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a view showing an example of a detailed configuration of aplayback permission section of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a view illustrating an example of license information storedin a license storage section 62 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is a view illustrating an example of privacy information storedin a user information storage section 63 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 9 is a view illustrating an example of copyright restrictioninformation and privacy restriction information to be added to acontent.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart illustrating a content utilizationauthentication process at step S3 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 11 is a view illustrating an example of selection of a content tobe shared.

FIG. 12 is a flow chart illustrating a copyright authentication processat step S24 of FIG. 10.

FIG. 13 is a flow chart illustrating a privacy authentication process atstep S25 of FIG. 10.

FIG. 14 is a flow chart illustrating a content acquisition process atstep S23 of FIG. 10.

FIG. 15 is a flow chart illustrating a content transmission processexecuted corresponding to the process of FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is view illustrating an example of shared utilizationrestriction information.

FIG. 17 is a view showing another example of the configuration of theplayback permission section of FIG. 4.

FIG. 18 is a flow chart illustrating a shared utilization copyrightauthentication process of the playback permission section of FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of apersonal computer to which the present invention is applied.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

1-1 to 1-3 communication apparatus, 2 communication network, 3 contentsupplying server, 4 authentication server, 21 outputting section, 22-1,22-2 inputting section, 23 communication section, 24 broadcast receptionsection, 25 content playback section, 27 storage section, 31 operationinputting section, 32 control section, 61 content storage section, 62license storage section, 63 user information storage section, 81 sessionmanagement section, 82 viewing recording level setting section, 85playback permission section, 86 recording permission section, 111playback authentication control section, 112 copyright authenticationsection, 114 accounting processing section, 115 privacy authenticationsection, 117 permission request processing section, 119 contentacquisition section, 151 shared utilization authentication section

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

In the following, an embodiment of the present invention is described indetail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a configuration of a communication system towhich the present invention is applied. In this communication system, acommunication apparatus 1-1 establishes a connection to a differentcommunication apparatus 1-2 or 1-3 through a communication network 2 tomutually communicate sound and an image of a user similarly as in thecase of a TV (visual) telephone set and besides play back a commoncontent in synchronism with the different communication apparatus 1-2 or1-3 to support remote place communication between the users. In thefollowing description, where there is no necessity to distinguish thecommunication apparatus 1-1 to 1-3 from each other, each of them isreferred to simply as communication apparatus 1.

It is to be noted that a common content may be, for example, a programcontent obtained by receiving a television broadcast, a content of amovie or the like downloaded in advance, a private content suppliedbetween users, a content of a game or music or a content recorded on anoptical disk 92 (FIG. 4) represented by a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk).

Further, in the present communication system, in order to perform remoteplace communication, it is necessary for the communication apparatus 1-1to 1-3 to be registered in the same communication group (which may behereinafter referred to merely as group). Then, to each of thecommunication apparatus 1 registered in the group, a privacy level isset in accordance with the intimacy degree. It is to be noted that,although the group and the privacy level may be managed by theauthentication server 4 or the like, authentication of a communicationapparatus 1 of a manager of the group (in the case of FIG. 1, thecommunication apparatus 1-3) is required for registration into the groupand setting of a privacy level.

Each communication apparatus 1 can be utilized simultaneously by aplurality of users. For example, in the case of FIG. 1, it is assumedthat the communication apparatus 1-1 is used by users A and B while thecommunication apparatus 1-2 is used by a user X and the communicationapparatus 1-3 is used by a user C.

For example, it is assumed that the image of the common content is suchas shown in FIG. 2A and the image of the user A picked up by thecommunication apparatus 1-1 is such as shown in FIG. 2B while the imageof the user X picked up by the communication apparatus 1-2 is such asshown in FIG. 2C. In this instance, on a display unit 41 (FIG. 4) of thecommunication apparatus 1-1, the images of the content and the user aredisplayed in a superposed relationship in accordance with, for example,a picture in picture (picture in picture) mode shown in FIG. 3A, a crossfade (Cross fade) mode shown in FIG. 3B or a wipe (wipe) mode shown inFIG. 3C.

It is to be noted that, in the picture in picture mode shown in FIG. 3A,the images of the users are superposed as small screens on the image ofthe content. The display positions and sizes of the small screens can bearbitrarily changed by the users. Also it is possible to display notboth of the image of the user itself (user A) and the communicationopposite party (user X) but display only one of the small screens.

In the cross fade mode shown in FIG. 3B, the image of the content andthe image of a user (user A or user X) is displayed in a synthesizedstate. This cross fade mode can be used, for example, when the userpoints to an arbitrary position, for example, on a map displayed as theimage of the content.

In the wide mode shown in FIG. 3C, the image of the user appears from apredetermined direction in such a manner that it covers the image of thecontent. For example, in FIG. 3C, the image of the user appears from theright side of the image of the content.

The synthesis patterns can be changed on demand. Also an image balancewhich sets the transparency of each of the images of the synthesispatterns shown in FIGS. 3A to 3C, though not shown, a sound volumebalance which sets the volumes of sound of the content and the users andso forth can be changed on demand as synthesis parameters. A history ofchange of the synthesis patterns and the synthesis parameters isrecorded as synthesis information into a synthesis information storagesection 64 (FIG. 4). It is to be noted that display of the images of thecontent and the users is not limited to the synthesis pattern describedabove, but any other synthesis pattern may be applied.

Referring back to FIG. 1, the communication network 2 is a broadbanddata communication network represented by the Internet or the like. Acontent supplying server 3 supplies a content to a communicationapparatus 1 through the communication network 2 in accordance with arequest from the communication apparatus 1. An authentication server 4performs processes for accounting, issuance of license information andso forth when the user of the communication apparatus 1 tries to utilizea content.

A broadcasting apparatus 5 transmits a content as a program of atelevision broadcast or the like. Accordingly, the individualcommunication apparatus 1 can receive and play back a content broadcastfrom the broadcasting apparatus 5 in synchronism with each other. It isto be noted that transmission of a content from the broadcastingapparatus 5 to the communication apparatus 1 may be performed bywireless transmission or by wire transmission. Or, such transmission maybe performed through the communication network 2.

A standard time information supplying apparatus 6 supplies standard timeinformation for adjusting clocks (standard time counting section 41(FIG. 4)) built in the communication apparatus 1 to standard time (worldstandard time, Japan standard time or the like) to the individualcommunication apparatus 1. It is to be noted that the supply of standardtime information from the standard time information supplying apparatus6 to the communication apparatus 1 may be performed by wirelesscommunication or by wire communication. Further, the supply may beperformed through the communication network 2.

It is to be noted that, while, in the example of FIG. 1, only threecommunication apparatus 1 are connected through the communicationnetwork 2, the number of communication apparatus 1 is not limited tothree, but a plurality of communication apparatus 1 are connected to thecommunication network 2.

Further, in the communication system of FIG. 1, although description isomitted, a predetermined encryption system is used suitably intransmission and reception among the communication apparatus 1, contentsupplying server 3 and authentication server 4.

Now, an example of a detailed configuration of the communicationapparatus 1-1 is described with reference to FIG. 4. It is to be notedthat description is given of a case wherein, in FIG. 4, thecommunication apparatus 1-2 is the opposite party of communication.

In the communication apparatus 1-1, an outputting section 21 is formedfrom a display unit 41 and a loudspeaker 42, and displays an image andoutputs sound corresponding to an image signal and a sound signalinputted thereto from an image sound synthesis section 26.

Inputting sections 22-1 and 22-2 are composed of cameras 51-1 and 51-2for picking up an image (moving picture or still picture) of the users,microphones 52-1 and 52-2 for collecting sound of the users, and sensors53-1 and 53-2 for detecting the surrounding brightness, temperature, andso forth of the users, respectively. The inputting sections 22-1 and22-2 output real-time (RT) data of the user including the acquiredimage, sound, brightness, temperature and so forth to a communicationsection 23, a storage section 27 and a data analysis section 28. Theinputting sections 22-1 and 22-2 output the acquired image and sound ofthe users to the image sound synthesis section 26.

It is to be noted that, where there is no necessity to individuallydistinguish the inputting sections 22-1 and 22-2, cameras 51-1 and 51-2,microphones 52-1 and 52-2 and sensors 53-1 and 53-2, it is referred tomerely as inputting section 22, camera 51, microphone 52 and sensor 53,respectively. Further, a plurality of inputting apparatus 22 (in thecase of FIG. 24, two inputting apparatus 22) may be provided such thatthey are directed to a plurality of users (users A and B of FIG. 1).

The communication section 23 transmits real-time data of a user inputtedthereto from the inputting section 22 to the communication apparatus 1-2of the communication opposite party through the communication network 2.Further, the communication section 23 receives real-time data of a usertransmitted from the communication apparatus 1-2 and outputs thereal-time data to the image sound synthesis section 26 and the storagesection 27. Further, the communication section 23 receives a content(hereinafter referred to sometimes as content data) supplied theretofrom the communication apparatus 1-2 of the communication opposite partyor the content supplying server 3 through the communication network 2and outputs the content to a content playback section 25 and the storagesection 27. Furthermore, the communication section 23 transmits acontent stored in the storage section 27 or operation information,control information or the like from an operation information outputtingsection 87 to the communication apparatus 1-2 through the communicationnetwork 2.

A broadcast reception section 24 receives a television broadcast signalbroadcast from the broadcasting apparatus 5 and outputs an acquiredcontent of a broadcast program to the content playback section 25. Thecontent playback section 25 plays back the content of the broadcastprogram received by the broadcast reception section 24, a contentreceived by the communication section 23 or a content read out from thestorage section 27 or else a content read out from an optical disk 92 orthe like loaded in a drive 91. Further, the content playback section 25outputs a resulting image and sound of the content to the image soundsynthesis section 26 and the data analysis section 28.

The image sound synthesis section 26 mixes (mixes and adjusts; suchmixture is hereinafter referred to suitably as synthesis) an image of acontent inputted from the content playback section 25, an image andsound of a user inputted from the inputting section 22, an image andsound of the communication opposite party (user X) inputted from thecommunication section 23 and a character string such as an alert to auser. Then, the image sound synthesis section 26 outputs a resultingimage signal and sound signal to the outputting section 21.

The storage section 27 is composed of a content storage section 61, alicense storage section 62, a user information storage section 63, and asynthesis information storage section 64. The content storage section 61stores real-time data of a user (user A or the like) supplied theretofrom the inputting section 22, real-time data of the communicationopposite party (user X) supplied thereto from the communication section23, a content of a broadcast program received by the broadcast receptionsection 24 and a content supplied thereto from the communication section23. The content has added thereto copyright restriction informationrelating to the copyright and privacy restriction information relatingto the privacy. Details of the copyright restriction information and theprivacy restriction information added to the content are hereinafterdescribed.

The license storage section 62 stores license information and so forthwhich the communication apparatus 1-1 has regarding a content stored inthe content storage section 61. The user information storage section 63stores privacy information of a group to which the communicationapparatus 1-1 belongs and a privacy level indicative of the intimacydegree in the group and apparatus information of a district in which thecommunication apparatus 1-1 is installed and so forth. The synthesisinformation storage section 64 stores a synthesis pattern and synthesisparameters whose setting is changed by a synthesis control section 84 assynthesis information.

The data analysis section 28 is composed of a user characteristicanalysis section 71 and a control information production section 72. Tothe data analysis section 28, real-time data of a user (user A or thelike) supplied thereto from the inputting section 22, real-time data ofthe communication opposite party (user X) supplied thereto from thecommunication section 23 and content data from the content playbacksection 25 are inputted.

The user characteristic analysis section 71 analyzes state informationand so forth of the user (user A or the like) obtained from thereal-time data of the user supplied thereto from the inputting section22 and the real-time data of the communication opposite party (user X)supplied thereto from the communication section 23. Then, the usercharacteristic analysis section 71 outputs a result of the analysis tothe control information production section 72. The control informationproduction section 72 produces control information for controlling theimage sound synthesis section 26 to synthesize an image and sound of acontent from the content playback section 25 and an image and sound ofthe real time data of the communication opposite party supplied theretofrom the communication section 23 in accordance with synthesisparameters and a synthesis pattern based on the result of the analysis.The control information production section 72 outputs the producedcontrol information to the control section 32. It is to be noted thatalso control information for components of the communication apparatus1-2 of the communication opposite party is produced and supplied to theoperation information outputting section 87.

A communication environment detection section 29 monitors thecommunication environment (communication rate, communication delay timeand so forth) with the communication apparatus 1-2 through thecommunication section 23 and the communication network 2 and outputs aresult of the monitoring to the control section 32. The standard timecounting section 30 counts standard time to be supplied to the controlsection 32. The standard time counting section 30 modifies the standardtime counted by the standard time counting section 30 itself based onstandard time information supplied thereto from the standard timeinformation supplying apparatus 6. An operation inputting section 31 isformed from a remote controller or the like and accepts an operation ofa user and then inputs a corresponding operation signal to the controlsection 32.

The control section 32 controls the components of the communicationapparatus 1-1 based on an operation signal corresponding to an operationof a user inputted from the operation inputting section 31, controlinformation inputted from the data analysis section 28 and so forth. Thecontrol section 32 includes a session management section 81, a viewingrecording level setting section 82, a playback synchronization section83, a synthesis control section 84, a playback permission section 85, arecording permission section 86, an operation information outputtingsection 87 and an electronic apparatus control section 88. It is to benoted that control lines from the control section 32 to the componentsof the communication apparatus 1-1 are omitted in FIG. 4.

The session management section 81 controls a process by thecommunication section 23 of establishing a connection to thecommunication apparatus 1-2 and 1-3, content supplying server 3,authentication server 4 or the like through the communication network 2.When the session management section 81 tries to establish a connectionto a different communication apparatus 1, it transmits and receivesmutual apparatus information of the communication apparatus 1 (forexample, a region in which the communication apparatus 1 is installed,information of a group to which the communication apparatus 1 belongsand so forth). It is to be noted that the session management section 81of the communication apparatus which manages a communication groupperforms authentication regarding a request for registration into thecommunication group from a different communication apparatus 1 andchange of the privacy level.

The viewing recording level setting section 82 sets, based on anoperation from a user, whether or not real-time data of the useracquired by the inputting section 22 or content data of the personaluser stored in the content storage section 61 can be played back orwhether or not the real-time data can be recorded in the group to whichthe communication apparatus 1-2 of the communication opposite partybelongs and at the privacy level and, where the real-time data can berecorded, the number of times by which recording is permitted. Then, theviewing recording level setting section 82 adds the setting informationas privacy restriction information to real-time data of the user andissues a notification of the resulting setting information from thecommunication section 23 to the communication apparatus 1-2. It is to benoted that also the privacy restriction information of the communicationapparatus 1-2 itself may be set.

The playback synchronization section 83 controls the content playbacksection 25 so that the same content may be played back in synchronismwith the communication apparatus 1-2 of the communication oppositeparty.

The synthesis control section 84 controls the data analysis section 28to analyze state information of a user obtained from real-time data ofthe user in accordance with an operation of the user. Further, thesynthesis control section 84 controls the image sound synthesis section26 so that an image and sound of a content and images and sound of theuser may be synthesized in accordance with an operation of the user andcontrol information from the data analysis section 28. In particular,the synthesis control section 84 changes the setting of such a synthesispattern as seen in FIG. 3A to 3C and synthesis parameters based oncontrol information from the data analysis section 28. Then, thesynthesis control section 84 controls the image sound synthesis section26 based on the synthesis pattern and the synthesis parameters whosesetting is changed. Then, the synthesis control section 84 stores thesynthesis pattern and the synthetic parameters, whose setting ischanged, as synthesis information into the synthesis information storagesection 64.

The playback permission section 85 decides based on license informationof a content stored in the license storage section 62 and copyrightrestriction information added to the content whether or not utilizationof the content is permitted. Then, the playback permission section 85decides whether or not utilization of the content is permitted based onthe privacy information stored in the user information storage section63 and the privacy restriction information added to the content (theprivacy restriction information is set, for example, by the viewingrecording level setting section 82 of the communication apparatus 1-3 bywhich the content is produced). Then, the playback permission section 85controls the content playback section 25 based on a result of thedecision.

Further, the playback permission section 85 establishes, as occasiondemands, a connection to the content supplying server 3, authenticationserver 4 or the like through the session management section 81 toacquire license information or a content to update the copyrightrestriction information. Or, the playback permission section 85establishes a connection to the communication apparatus 1-3 to updateprivacy restriction information or privacy information. Or else, theplayback permission section 85 controls the image sound synthesissection 26 to cause the display unit 41 to display utilizationinformation (for example, playback time number restriction, whether ornot recording is permitted, recording time number restriction or thelike) when a content is to be utilized.

The recording permission section 86 decides whether or not recording ofa content is permitted based on the copyright restriction information orprivacy restriction information added to the content.

The operation information outputting section 87 produces, in response toan operation by a user (a channel changeover operation upon reception ofa television broadcast, or an operation for content selection, startingof content playback, ending of playback, fast feeding playback or thelike), operation information including the substance of the operation,the time of the operation and so forth. Then, the operation informationoutputting section 87 issues a notification of the operation informationfrom the communication section 23 to the communication apparatus 1-2 ofthe communication opposite party. The operation information outputtingsection 87 further issues a notification of control information from thedata analysis section 28 to the communication apparatus 1-2 of thecommunication opposite party from the communication section 23.

The electronic apparatus control section 88 controls setting of anoutput and an input of the outputting section 21 and the inputtingsections 22 and a predetermined electronic apparatus (for example, alighting fixture, an air conditioner, or the like; all not shown)positioned around the communication apparatus 1-1 based on an operationby a user and control information inputted from the data analysissection 28.

A drive 91 reads out a content recorded on an optical disk 92 loadedtherein and records a content on the optical disk 92. The optical disk92 is formed from a write once read many type optical disk such as, forexample, a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk) ±RW (Re-writable) or a blu-raydisk or an optical disk for playback only such as a CD (Compact Disc) ora DVD with copy control.

It is to be noted that an example of a detailed configuration of thecommunication apparatus 1-2 and 1-3 is similar to that of thecommunication apparatus 1-1 shown in FIG. 4, and therefore, descriptionof the same is omitted herein.

Now, a remote communication process with the communication apparatus 1-2by the communication apparatus 1-1 is described with reference to a flowchart of FIG. 5. It is to be noted that this process is also a processwhich is similarly executed by the communication apparatus 1-2 as well.

This communication process is started when an operation to instructstarting of remote communication with the communication apparatus 1-2 isinputted to the operation inputting section 31 and an operation signalcorresponding to the operation is inputted to the control section 32.

At step S1, the communication section 23 establishes a connection to thecommunication apparatus 1-2 through the communication network 2 underthe control of the session management section 81 and notifies thecommunication apparatus 1-2 of starting of remote communication. Then,the processing advances to step S2. In response to the notification, thecommunication apparatus 1-2 returns acceptance of starting of remotecommunication.

It is to be noted that, at this time, the session management section 81transmits apparatus information of the communication apparatus 1-1 (forexample, a district in which the communication apparatus 1-1 isinstalled, information of a group to which the communication apparatus1-1 belongs and so forth) to the communication apparatus 1-2.Corresponding to this, the session management section 81 receivesapparatus information from the communication apparatus 1-2 and storesthe apparatus information until the remote communication comes to anend.

At step S2, the communication section 23 begins to transmit real-timedata of the user A and so forth inputted from the inputting section 22to the communication apparatus 1-2 through the communication network 2and starts reception of real-time data of the user X transmitted fromthe communication apparatus 1-2 under the control of the control section32. Thereafter, the processing advances to step S3. At this time,real-time data of the real-time data of the user A and so forth inputtedfrom the inputting section 22 and received real-time data of the user Xare inputted to the data analysis section 28, and images and sound fromwithin the real-time data are inputted to the image sound synthesissection 26.

At step S3, the playback permission section 85 performs anauthentication process for utilizing a content designated by the user(the process is hereinafter referred to as content utilizationauthentication process). Although details of the content utilizationauthentication process are hereinafter described, at step S3, playbackof a content is permitted based on copyright restriction information andprivacy restriction information added to the content, and a notificationof completion of preparations for playback of the content iscommunicated mutually between the communication apparatus 1-1 and thecommunication apparatus 1-2. Thereafter, the processing advances to stepS4.

It is to be noted that, upon playback (viewing), for a content for whichthe protection of the copyright or privacy is not required (for example,a content being broadcast as a television broadcast), the process atstep S3 is unnecessary. However, the process at step S3 is executed alsofor such a content as just described if the content is stored in thecontent storage section 61 and played back.

At step S4, the content playback section 25 starts a playback process ofthe content synchronized with the communication apparatus 1-2 (suchplayback process is hereinafter referred to as content synchronousplayback process) under the control of the playback synchronizationsection 83. Thereafter, the processing advances to step S5. By thecontent synchronous playback process, the same content is played back insynchronism by the communication apparatus 1-1 and 1-2 based on standardtime information supplied from the standard time counting section 30(standard time information supplying apparatus 6), and the played backcontent data are inputted to the image sound synthesis section 26 andthe data analysis section 28.

At step S5, the storage section 27 starts a remote communicationrecording process, whereafter the processing advances to step S6. Inparticular, the image sound synthesis section 26 synthesizes the contentdata whose playback is started, images and sound included in real-timedata of the user A and so forth inputted and an image and sound includedin the received real-time data of the user X under the control of thesynthesis control section 84. The image sound synthesis section 26supplies an image signal and a sound signal obtained as a result of thesynthesis to the outputting section 21. It is to be noted that, at thistime, the synthesis control section 84 controls the synthesis process ofthe image sound synthesis section 26 based on a synthesis pattern andsynthesis parameters set in advance based on an operation of the user.

The outputting section 21 displays an image corresponding to the imagesignal supplied thereto and outputs sound corresponding to the soundsignal. At this stage, communication of images and sound between theusers and synchronous playback of the content are started.

Then, recording of the synthesis information representative of thecontent data whose playback is started, the images and sound included inreal-time data of the user A and so forth inputted, the image and soundincluded in the received real-time data of the user X and the state ofthe synthesis (synthesis pattern and synthesis parameters) is started.

At step S6, the data analysis section 28 and the image sound synthesissection 26 execute a user characteristic analysis mixing process by thesynthesis control section 84. In particular, at step S6, the dataanalysis section 28 analyses state information of users (postureinformation, information of the number of users, sound information,environment information and so forth) and produces control informationfor controlling the image sound synthesis section 26 and so forth basedon a result of the analysis. Accordingly, the synthesis control section84 does not use the synthesis pattern and the synthesis parameters setin advance in response to an operation of a user but changes thesynthesis pattern and the synthesis parameters based on the producedcontrol information and executes a process of controlling the synthesisprocess of the image sound synthesis section 26.

At step S7, the control section 32 decides whether or not an operationof issuing an instruction to end the remote communication is performedby the user, and waits that it is decided that an operation of issuingan instruction to end the remote communication is performed. When it isdecided at step S7 that an operation of issuing an instruction to endthe remote communication is performed by the user, the processingadvances to step S8.

At step S8, the communication section 23 establishes a connection to thecommunication apparatus 1-2 through the communication network 2 andissues a notification to end the remote communication to thecommunication apparatus 1-2 under the control of the session managementsection 81. In response to the notification, the communication apparatus1-2 returns acceptance of ending of the remote communication.

At step S9, the storage section 27 ends the communication recordingprocess, and the remote communication process is ended. It is to benoted that the played back content, images and sound included in thereal time data of the user A and so forth, image and sound included inthe received real-time data of the user X and the synthesis information,which have been recorded till then, are utilized later when the presentremote communication is played back.

The description of the remote communication process by the communicationapparatus 1-1 is completed therewith.

Now, the content utilization authentication process at step S3 of theremote communication process described hereinabove is described indetail.

FIG. 6 shows an example of a detailed configuration of the playbackpermission section 85 which performs a content utilizationauthentication process.

In the example of FIG. 6, the playback permission section 85 includes aplayback authentication control section 111, a copyright authenticationsection 112, a copyright information updating section 113, and anaccounting processing section 114. The playback permission section 85further includes a privacy authentication section 115, a privacyinformation updating section 116, a permission request processingsection 117, a notification information production section 118, and acontent acquisition section 119.

The playback authentication control section 111 acquires, when anoperation signal for content selection is inputted thereto from theoperation inputting section 31, the selected content, and controls thecopyright authentication section 112 and the privacy authenticationsection 115 to execute utilization authentication processes for theselected content. In particular, if the selected content is one ofcontents acquired already and stored in the storage section 27 or one ofcontents recorded on the optical disk 92, then the playbackauthentication control section 111 controls the storage section 27 andthe drive 91 to read out and supply the content to the content playbacksection 25. On the other hand, if the selected content is one ofcontents of the content supplying server 3, then the playbackauthentication control section 111 controls the content acquisitionsection 119 to execute a content acquisition process.

Further, the playback authentication control section 111 controls thesession management section 81 in response to results of theauthentication from the copyright authentication section 112 and theprivacy authentication section 115 to mutually communicate a completionnotification of preparations for content playback with the communicationapparatus 1-2 and permit the content playback section 25 to permitplayback of the content. Or, the playback authentication control section111 controls the notification information production section 118 toproduce a notification of utilization restriction of the content fromthe copyright authentication section 112 and the privacy authenticationsection 115.

The copyright authentication section 112 decides whether or notutilization of a content supplied thereto from the content playbacksection 25 is permitted based on the copyright restriction informationadded to the content and the license information which is stored in thelicense storage section 62 and which the communication apparatus 1-1has. Then, the copyright authentication section 112 controls theaccounting processing section 114 and the copyright information updatingsection 113 in response to a result of the decision to cooperate withthe authentication server 4 to perform an accounting process or supplyutilization restriction of the content to the notification informationproduction section 118 through the playback authentication controlsection 111.

The copyright information updating section 113 acquires new copyrightrestriction information from the authentication server 4 through thecommunication section 23 as a result of the accounting process by theaccounting processing section 114 and updates the copyright restrictioninformation added to the content with the acquired copyright restrictioninformation. It is to be noted that, if new license information isacquired as a result of the accounting process by the accountingprocessing section 114, then the copyright information updating section113 updates also the license information of the license storage section62.

The accounting processing section 114 controls the session managementsection 81 to establish a connection to the authentication server 4 andperforms updating of the copyright restriction information of thecontent or an accounting process regarding acquisition of the licenseinformation.

The privacy authentication section 115 decides, based on privacyrestriction information added to a content supplied to the contentplayback section 25 and the privacy information stored in the synthesisinformation storage section 64, whether or not utilization of thecontent should be permitted. Then, the privacy authentication section115 controls the permission request processing section 117 and theprivacy information updating section 116 in response to a result of thedecision to perform a communication process with the communicationapparatus 1-3 of the user C which has the privacy management right onthe content to be played back or supply utilization restriction of thecontent to the notification information production section 118 throughthe playback authentication control section 111.

The privacy information updating section 116 acquires new privacyrestriction information from the communication apparatus 1-3 through thecommunication section 23 as a result of the requesting process by thepermission request processing section 117 and updates the privacyrestriction information added to the content with the acquired privacyrestriction information. It is to be noted that, if new privacyinformation is acquired as a result of the requesting process by thepermission request processing section 117, then the privacy informationupdating section 116 updates also the privacy information of the userinformation storage section 63.

The permission request processing section 117 controls the sessionmanagement section 81 to establish a connection to the communicationapparatus 1-3 and performs updating of the privacy restrictioninformation of a content or a requesting process for acquisition ofprivacy information.

The notification information production section 118 produces an imagefor the notification of utilization restriction supplied from thecopyright authentication section 112 or the privacy authenticationsection 115 and supplies the produced image to the image sound synthesissection 26.

The content acquisition section 119 controls the session managementsection 81 to establish a connection to the content supplying server 3and executes a content acquisition process using the license informationof the license storage section 62 and the privacy information of theuser information storage section 63. It is to be noted that, if thelicense information corresponding to the content to be acquired is notavailable, then the content acquisition section 119 controls thecopyright authentication section 112 to acquire license information forthe content to be acquired.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of the license information stored in thelicense storage section 62.

In the example of FIG. 7, license information for BS (BroadcastingSatellite)/CS (Communication Satellite) broadcasting, a DVD content, aCD content, game software, a photo album and so forth, which thecommunication apparatus 1-1 has, is listed.

In particular, the communication apparatus 1-1 has license informationwhich permits viewing of 1 to 11 ch (channels) of BS broadcasting andlicense information which permits viewing of 100 to 210 ch (channels) ofCS broadcasting.

The communication apparatus 1-1 has, as the license informationregarding a DVD content, license information which permits playback of acontent having the title name of DVD 1 and license information whichpermits recording of a content having the title name of DVD 2. It is tobe noted that, in FIG. 7, the DVD content represents an image (movingpicture) content and includes not only a content recorded on the opticaldisk 92 formed from a DVD but also a content downloaded from the contentsupplying server 3.

The communication apparatus 1-1 has license information which permitsplayback of a content having the title name of CD 1, license informationwhich permits playback of another content having the title name of CD 2and license information which permits recording of a further contenthaving the title name of CD 3. It is to be noted that the CD contentrepresents a content of music and includes not only a content recordedon the optical disk 92 formed from a CD but also a content downloadedfrom the content supplying server 3.

The communication apparatus 1-1 has license information which permitsplayback (play) of game software contents having the title names of game1, game 2 and game 3.

The communication apparatus 1-1 has license information which permitsplayback of contents of photo albums (still picture albums) having thetitle names of album 1, album 2 and album 3. It is to be noted that alsocontents of game software and a photo album may be recorded on anddistributed together with the optical disk 92 or may be downloaded fromthe content supplying server 3 and distributed.

Accordingly, each of contents of an object of the license informationcan be utilized in accordance with the copyright restriction informationadded to the content by the communication apparatus 1-1.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example of the privacy information stored in theuser information storage section 63.

The privacy information includes a group attribute which is informationof a communication group to which the communication apparatus 1-1belongs and within which remote place communication is performed, and aprivacy level set in response to the intimacy degree in each group. Theprivacy level represents the intimacy degree such that, as the numericalvalue thereof decreases, the intimacy degree increases.

In the example of FIG. 8, the communication apparatus 1-1 belongs to acommunication group named group 1, and the privacy level is set asprivacy level 2 in the group 1. Further, the communication apparatus 1-1belongs to another communication group named group 2, in which theprivacy level is set as privacy level 3. Furthermore, the communicationapparatus 1-1 belongs to a further communication group named group 3, inwhich the privacy level is set as privacy level 6.

Accordingly, by comparing the privacy information with the privacyrestriction information included in a content, the communicationapparatus 1-1 can utilize the content.

It is to be noted that setting of the privacy information can be changedif authentication of a communication apparatus 1 of a manager of a group(for example, the communication apparatus 1-3) is obtained.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example of the copyright restriction informationand the privacy restriction information to be added to a content.

In the example of FIG. 9, the privacy restriction information includes aplayback permission period, a playback permission district, a playbackpermission time number, recording permission information and recordingtime number restriction. It is to be noted that this configuration ofthe copyright restriction information is an example and differsdepending upon a content to which the copyright restriction informationis to be added.

In particular, copyright restriction information wherein the playbackpermission period is “in or later than January, 2004” and theauthentication destination is a “◯◯ TV station” and copyrightrestriction information wherein the playback permission district is“Tokyo” and the authentication destination is “◯◯ TV station” areexamples of the copyright restriction information to be added to acontent of a television broadcast.

A content to which such copyright restriction information as describedabove is added is, for example, that which is broadcast only in Tokyo onthe last day of December 2003, and even if a user of the communicationapparatus 1-1 acquires this content from the content supplying server 3or the like prior to the playback permission period (in or later thanJanuary, 2004), the content cannot be played back. Further, even if thecommunication apparatus 1-2 receives and stores the content in Tokyo onthe last day of December, 2003 and transmits the content to thecommunication apparatus 1-1, if the communication apparatus 1-1 isinstalled at a place other than Tokyo, then the communication apparatus1-1 cannot play back the content even in or later than January, 2004.

Accordingly, if it is intended to utilize a content on the communicationapparatus 1-1 installed at a place other than Tokyo, then it isnecessary to perform an accounting process together with the ◯◯ TVstation (for example, the authentication server 4) to acquire licenseinformation which permits playback of the content.

In this manner, if it is intended to use the communication apparatus 1-1to perform synchronous playback of a content, which is broadcast by thebroadcasting apparatus 5 and is received by the broadcast receptionsection 24 of the communication apparatus 1-1 and stored in the contentstorage section 61, on the communication apparatus 1-2, then the contentcannot be played back by the communication apparatus 1-2 side because ofthe copyright restriction information. Thus, an authentication processfor the copyright restriction information is required.

On the other hand, copyright restriction information wherein theplayback permission time number is “three times/totaling 10 times” andthe authentication destination is a “ΔΔ production”, copyrightrestriction information wherein the recording permission information is“◯” and the authentication destination is the “ΔΔ production”, andcopyright restriction information wherein the recording permission timenumber restriction is “up to second generation” and the authenticationdestination is the “ΔΔ production” are examples of the copyrightrestriction information to be added, for example, to a DVD contentrecorded on the optical disk 92.

Although a content to which such copyright restriction information asdescribed above is added can be played back (utilized) by thecommunication apparatus 1-1 which has the license information, theplayback is restricted. In particular, in the case of the example ofFIG. 9, since the content has been played back three times from within10 times by the communication apparatus 1-1, the communication apparatus1-1 can reproduce the content later only by seven times. Further,recording (duplication) of the content is permitted only up to thesecond generation. Accordingly, although it is possible to duplicate thecontent (first generation) to obtain (record) another content (secondgeneration), it is not permitted to further duplicate the content(second generation) itself to obtain a further content (thirdgeneration).

Accordingly, when the user wants to play back the content on thecommunication apparatus 1-1 after the content is further played back byseven times, it is necessary for the user to perform an accountingprocess with the “ΔΔ production” (for example, the authentication server4) to acquire copyright restriction information updated so that thecontent can be played back further by a plural number of times (forexample, 10 times). Similarly, when the user wants to duplicate acontent duplicated once by one more generation on the communicationapparatus 1-1, it is necessary for the user to perform an accountingprocess with the “ΔΔ production” (for example, the authentication server4) to acquire copyright restriction information updated so that therecording time number restriction of the content is to the thirdgeneration.

The privacy restriction information of the example of FIG. 9 includesgroup attribute restriction and level restriction.

The authentication destination of the privacy restriction informationwherein the group attribute restriction is “group 1 (playbackpermitted), group 3 (recording permitted)” and the privacy restrictioninformation wherein the level restriction is “level 1 or more” is the“user C”. In other words, the privacy restriction information is added,for example, to a content of an individual produced by the user C andmanaged by the viewing recording level setting section 82 of thecommunication apparatus 1-3 of the user C.

Describing more particularly, for example, if the group 1 is a “family”,then the level differs among different members of the family dependingupon the intimacy degree. Thus, it is assumed that the level is set suchthat the “parents” have the level 1 and are highest in the intimacydegree while an “elder sister” has the level 2 and is lower in theintimacy degree. In this instance, if the group attribute information inthe privacy restriction information with regard to a certain content isset such that the group 1 is “family” and the level restriction is“level 1 or more”, then those who are permitted to reproduce the contentare limited to the “parents” of the level 1 while the “elder sister”whose level is 2 is excepted.

By providing the concept of the privacy level in this manner, it ispossible to filter registered members in a group in accordance with theintimacy degree.

Accordingly, if a user of the communication apparatus 1-1 who belongs tothe group 1 and has the level 2 and to whom playback is not permittedwants to play back the content, then it is necessary for thecommunication apparatus 1-1 to issue a request to the communicationapparatus 1-3 of the user C who manages the privacy restrictioninformation of the content to obtain privacy restriction informationupdated so that the content can be played back by the user who has thelevel 2 or more.

It is to be noted that the communication apparatus 1-1 may issue arequest to the communication apparatus 1-3 of the user C to set thelevel of the privacy information of the communication apparatus 1-1itself higher so that playback of the content by the communicationapparatus 1-1 may be permitted.

The content of the individual produced by the user C described aboveincludes real-time data of the user X communicated at step S2. In otherwords, since also the real-time data may be read out by the user A againor distributed to the different user C after it is stored into thecontent storage section 61, privacy restriction information can beadded.

Furthermore, although details are hereinafter described, when thecontent supplying server 3 supplies a content, if a request for privacyinformation is issued to a user who supplies the content, then theprivacy restriction information can be added also to the contentsupplied from the content supplying server 3.

Now, the content utilization authentication process at step S3 of FIG. 5is described with reference to a flow chart of FIG. 10.

An operation for issuing an instruction to select an object content tobe played back in synchronism with the communication apparatus 1-2 isperformed by the user A using the operation inputting section 31. Theoperation inputting section 31 supplies an operation signalcorresponding to the operation by the user A to the playbackauthentication control section 111.

Based on an operation by the user X corresponding to the operation bythe user A, also in the communication apparatus 1-2, the contentutilization authentication process (that is, a process forauthenticating playback of the content) is executed. It is to be notedthat, at this time, the operation signal corresponding to the operationby the user A from the operation inputting section 31 may be supplied tothe operation information outputting section 87 so as to issue anotification from the communication section 23 to the communicationapparatus 1-2 of the communication opposite party so that the objectcontent may be selected in the communication apparatus 1-2.

The playback authentication control section 111 waits at step S21 thatan object content is selected. Then, if it is decided that the objectcontent is selected in response to an operation signal from theoperation inputting section 31, then the processing advances to stepS22, at which the playback authentication control section 111 decideswhether or not the selected content is acquired already.

For example, if the selected content is a content of the contentsupplying server 3, then it is decided at step S22 that the selectedcontent is not acquired as yet, and the processing advances to step S23,at which the playback authentication control section 111 controls thecontent acquisition section 119 to execute a content acquisitionprocess. While the content acquisition process is hereinafter describedwith reference to FIG. 14, by the process at step S23, acquisition ofthe content by the communication apparatus 1-1 is permitted by thecontent supplying server 3 and reception of the content from the contentsupplying server 3 is started. Then, the received content is supplied tothe content playback section 25, and the processing advances to stepS24.

It is to be noted that, while details are hereinafter described withreference to FIG. 15, copyright restriction information and privacyrestriction information are added to the received content. Accordingly,in later processes, the authentication process is executed for thereceived content similarly for the other contents.

On the other hand, for example, if the selected content is acquiredalready and is stored in the content storage section 61 or recorded onthe optical disk 92, then it is decided at step S22 that the selectedcontent is acquired already. Then, the playback authentication controlsection 111 controls the content storage section 61 or the drive 91 toread out and supply the stored content to the content playback section25. Thereafter, the processing skips the step S23 and advances to stepS24.

At step S24, the playback authentication control section 111 controlsthe copyright authentication section 112 to execute a copyrightauthentication process for the content supplied to content playbacksection 25. It is to be noted that, while the copyright authenticationprocess is hereinafter described with reference to FIG. 12, utilizationof the content in terms of the copyright is authenticated by the processat step S24, and then the processing advances to step S25.

Further, at step S25, the playback authentication control section 111controls the privacy authentication section 115 to execute a privacyauthentication process for the content supplied to the content playbacksection 25. It is to be noted that, while the privacy authenticationprocess is hereinafter described with reference to FIG. 13, utilizationof the content in terms of the privacy is authenticated by the processat step S25, and then the processing advances to step S26.

At step S26, the playback authentication control section 111 issues andreceives a notification of completion of preparations for contentplayback to and from the communication apparatus 1-2 in response to aresult of the authentication for utilization of the content by thecopyright authentication section 112 or the privacy authenticationsection 115.

Since playback by the content playback section 25 is permittedtherewith, the content utilization authentication process is ended.Thereafter, the processing returns to step S3 of FIG. 5 and thenadvances to step S4, at which the content playback section 25 can starta playback process of the content synchronized with the communicationapparatus 1-2 under the control by the playback synchronization section83.

It is to be noted that, where the content is a content acquired alreadyand stored in the content storage section 61 or a content recorded onthe optical disk 92, the processes at steps S24 and S25 may be executedbefore it is read out and supplied to the content playback section 25.

Further, while a case is described in connection with the example ofFIG. 10 wherein, when both the user A of the communication apparatus 1-1and the user X of the communication apparatus 1-2 select an objectcontent and execute synchronous playback newly, both of thecommunication apparatus 1-1 of the user A and the communicationapparatus 1-2 of the user X execute the content utilizationauthentication process of FIG. 10 (fourth case from above in FIG. 11),the user A and the user X select an object content after remotecommunication is started at step S1 of FIG. 5 and mutual real time datathereof are communicated with each other at step S2. Accordingly, thereis the possibility that the content selected at this time may be playedback already by the user as seen in FIG. 11.

For example, if a content selected and played back already by the user Ais to be played back in synchronism, utilization of the content isauthenticated already by the communication apparatus 1-1 of the user A.Accordingly, in this instance, the content utilization authenticationprocess is executed only by the communication apparatus 1-2 of the userX at step S3 of FIG. 5.

Where a content selected and played back already by the user X is to beplayed back in synchronism, utilization of the content is authenticatedalready by the communication apparatus 1-2 of the user X. Accordingly,in this instance, the content utilization authentication process isexecuted only by the communication apparatus 1-1 of the user A at stepS3 of FIG. 5.

Further, where a content selected and played back already by the user Aand user X is to be played back in synchronism, utilization of thecontent is authenticated already by the communication apparatus 1-1 ofthe user A and the communication apparatus 1-2 of the user X.Accordingly, the content utilization authentication process at step S3of FIG. 5 need not be performed and therefore is skipped.

Then, if both of the user A and user X select an object content andnewly reproduce the object content in synchronism with each other, asdescribed hereinabove with reference to FIG. 10, the content utilizationauthentication process is executed by both of the communicationapparatus 1-1 of the user A and the communication apparatus 1-2 of theuser X.

Now, the copyright authentication process at step S24 of FIG. 10 isdescribed with reference to a flow chart of FIG. 12.

At step S51, the copyright authentication section 112 decides whether ornot utilization of the content is permitted in terms of the copyrightbased on the copyright restriction information added to the contentsupplied to the content playback section 25 and the license informationstored in the license storage section 62 and possessed by thecommunication apparatus 1-1. Then, if it is decided that utilization ofthe content is permitted in terms of the copyright, then processes atsteps S52 and S53 are skipped and the processing advances to step S54,at which utilization of the content in terms of the copyright isauthenticated. Thereafter, the processing advances to step S55.

On the other hand, if it is decided at step S51 that utilization of thecontent is not permitted in terms of the copyright, then the processingadvances to step S52, at which the copyright authentication section 112controls the accounting processing section 114 to cooperate with theauthentication server 4 to perform an accounting process for permittingutilization of the content is executed by the authentication server 4.Thereafter, the processing advances to step S53.

In particular, the accounting processing section 114 controls thesession management section 81 to establish a connection to theauthentication server 4 and issue a request to update the copyrightrestriction information of the content or the license information sothat the utilization of the content may be permitted to perform anaccounting process.

In response to this, the authentication server 4 transmits the newcopyright restriction information or license information obtained by theaccounting process to the communication apparatus 1-1.

When the copyright restriction information or the license information isreceived from the authentication server 4, the communication section 23of the communication apparatus 1-1 supplies the received information tothe copyright authentication section 112. At step S53, when thecopyright restriction information or the license information isacquired, the copyright authentication section 112 controls thecopyright information updating section 113 to update the copyrightrestriction information added to the content or the license informationin the license storage section 62. Thereafter, the processing advancesto step S54, at which utilization of the content in terms of thecopyright is authenticated, and then the processing advances to stepS55.

It is to be noted that, though not shown, if the accounting process isnot executed or authentication from the authentication server 4 is notobtained and utilization of the content in terms of the copyright is notauthenticated, then the processing returns to step S21 of FIG. 10 and itis waited that a different content is selected by the user. Thereafter,the processes at the steps following the step S21 are repetitivelyexecuted in response to selection of the different content.

Further, at step S55, the copyright authentication section 112 decideswhether or not the content has some utilization restriction based on thecopyright restriction information. Then, for example, if it is decidedthat the content has such restriction that, although playback ispermitted, recording is not permitted or, although playback ispermitted, the number of times of playback is restricted, then theprocessing advances to step S56. At step S56, the utilizationrestriction to the content is supplied to the notification informationproduction section 118 through the playback authentication controlsection 111 so that an image for notifying the user of the utilizationrestriction of the content is produced by the notification informationproduction section 118.

In particular, at step S56, after the image for notifying a user of theutilization restriction of the content is produced, the notificationinformation production section 118 causes the display unit 41 whichforms the outputting section 21 to display the produced image throughthe image sound synthesis section 26 so as to notify the user of theutilization restriction. Consequently, the user can recognize in advancesuch utilization restriction, for example, that playback is permittedbut recording is not permitted, and so forth.

After the utilization restriction to the content is displayed on thedisplay unit 41, or, if it is decided at step S55 that no utilizationrestriction is applied, then the copyright authentication section 112ends the copyright authentication process, and the processing returns tostep S24 of FIG. 10 and then advances to step S25. Then, at step S25, aprivacy authentication process is executed by the privacy authenticationsection 115.

Next, the privacy authentication process at step S25 of FIG. 10 isdescribed with reference to a flow chart of FIG. 13.

At step S71, the privacy authentication section 115 decides whether ornot utilization of the content is permitted in terms of the privacy(personal information) based on the privacy restriction informationadded to the content supplied to the content playback section 25 and theprivacy information of the communication apparatus 1-1 stored in theuser storage section 63. Then, if it is decided that utilization of thecontent is permitted in terms of the privacy, then processes at stepsS72 and S73 are skipped and the processing advances to step S74, atwhich utilization of the content in terms of the privacy isauthenticated, and then the processing advances to step S75.

On the other hand, if it is decided at step S71 that utilization of thecontent is not permitted in terms of the privacy, then the processingadvances to step S72, at which the privacy authentication section 115controls the permission request processing section 117 to issue arequest for permission of utilization of the content to thecommunication apparatus 1-3 of the user C who is a manager of theprivacy restriction information added to the content. Then, theprocessing advances to step S73.

In particular, the permission request processing section 117 controlsthe session management section 81 to establish a connection to thecommunication apparatus 1-3 and issue a request for permission ofutilization of the content so that utilization of the content may bepermitted. At this time, the permission request processing section 117may issue a request to change the privacy restriction information to beadded to the content or may issue a request to change the privacyinformation of the communication apparatus 1-1 so that the communicationapparatus 1-1 can belong to a new group or level.

Corresponding to this, the user C of the communication apparatus 1-3would operate the operation inputting section 31 to authenticateutilization of the content of the communication apparatus 1-1. Inresponse to the operation signal from the operation inputting section31, the viewing recording level setting section 82 changes the privacyinformation restriction information to new privacy informationrestriction information, or the session management section 81 changesthe privacy information to new privacy information. Then, the changedprivacy information restriction information or privacy information istransmitted to the communication apparatus 1-1 through the communicationsection 23.

When the privacy information restriction information or privacyinformation is received from the communication apparatus 1-3, thecommunication section 23 of the communication apparatus 1-1 supplies thereceived information to the privacy authentication section 115. Afterthe privacy authentication section 115 acquires the privacy informationrestriction information or privacy information at step S73, it controlsthe copyright information updating section 113 to change the copyrightrestriction information added to the content or the privacy informationof the user storage section 63. Thereafter, the processing advances tostep S74, at which the privacy authentication section 115 authenticatesutilization of the content in terms of the privacy, whereafter theprocessing advances to step S75.

It is to be noted that, though not shown in the drawings, ifauthentication from the communication apparatus 1-3 is not obtained andutilization of the content in terms of the privacy is not authenticated,then the processing returns to step S21 of FIG. 10, at which it iswaited that a different content is selected by the user. Then, theprocesses at the steps following the step S21 are repeated in responseto the selection of a different content.

The privacy authentication section 115 decides further at step S75 basedon the privacy information restriction information or privacyinformation whether or not the content has some utilization restriction.For example, if the content has such restriction that, although playbackis permitted, recording is not permitted or although playback ispermitted, the number of times of playback is restricted, then theprocessing advances to step S76. At step S76, the privacy authenticationsection 115 supplies the utilization restriction to the content to thenotification information production section 118 through the playbackauthentication control section 111 so that the notification informationproduction section 118 may produce an image for notifying the user ofthe utilization restriction of the content.

In particular, at step S76, after the notification informationproduction section 118 produces an image for notifying the user of theutilization restriction of the content, it causes the display unit 41which forms the outputting section 21 to display the produced imagethrough the image sound synthesis section 26 so as to notify the user ofthe utilization restriction of the content. Consequently, the user canrecognize in advance that the content has such utilization restrictionthat, although playback is permitted, recording is not permitted.

After the utilization restriction of the content is displayed on thedisplay unit 41, or when it is decided at step S75 that the content hasno utilization restriction, the privacy authentication section 115 endsthe copyright authentication process. Thus, the processing returns tostep S25 of FIG. 10 and then advances to step S26, at which anotification process of completion of preparations for content playbackto the communication apparatus 1-2 is executed by the playbackauthentication control section 111.

Now, the content acquisition process at step S23 of FIG. 10 is describedwith reference to a flow chart of FIG. 14. It is to be noted that alsothe content transmission process of the content supplying server 3corresponding to this content acquisition process is describedsimultaneously with reference to a flow chart of FIG. 15.

At step S91 of FIG. 14, the content acquisition section 119 controls thesession management section 81 to issue a request for a content selectedby a user to the content supplying server 3 through the communicationsection 23.

The content supplying server 3 waits at step S111 of FIG. 15 that arequest for a content is received, and when the request for the contentis received from the communication apparatus 1-1, the processingadvances to step S112. At step S112, the content supplying server 3issues a request for license information regarding the requested contentto the communication apparatus 1-1. Thereafter, the processing advancesto step S113.

The content acquisition section 119 controls the copyrightauthentication section 112 at step S92 in response to the request forlicense information from the content supplying server 3 to decidewhether or not the license information regarding the selected content isstored in the license storage section 62. If it is decided at step S92that the license information regarding the selected content is stored,then the copyright authentication section 112 supplies the licenseinformation to the content acquisition section 119. Then, the processingadvances to step S95 skipping processes at steps S93 and 94.

If it is decided at step S92 that the license information regarding theselected content is not stored, then the processing advances to stepS93, at which the copyright authentication section 112 controls theaccounting processing section 114 to cooperate with the authenticationserver 4 to perform an accounting process for allowing utilization ofthe content, whereafter the processing advances to step S94. In short,the accounting processing section 114 controls the session managementsection 81 to establish a connection to the authentication server 4 andissue a request for the license information to perform an accountingprocess.

In response to the request, the authentication server 4 transmits thelicense information obtained by the accounting process to thecommunication apparatus 1-1.

When the communication section 23 of the communication apparatus 1-1receives the license information, it supplies the license information tothe copyright authentication section 112. At step S94, the copyrightauthentication section 112 acquires the license information and suppliesthe license information to the copyright information updating section113 and the content acquisition section 119. Thereafter, the processingadvances to step S95. At this time, the copyright information updatingsection 113 stores the license information supplied thereto into thelicense storage section 62.

The content acquisition section 119 controls the session managementsection 81 at step S95 to transmit the license information suppliedthereto from the copyright authentication section 112 to the contentsupplying server 3.

At step S113, the content supplying server 3 decides whether or not thelicense information is received. If it is decided that the licenseinformation is received from the communication apparatus 1-1, then theprocessing advances to step S114, at which the content supplying server3 issues a request for privacy information to the communicationapparatus 1-1. If it is decided at step S113 that the licenseinformation is not received, then the content supplying server 3 endsthe content transmission process.

When the communication section 23 of the communication apparatus 1-1receives the request for privacy information from the content supplyingserver 3, it supplies the received request for privacy information tothe content acquisition section 119. When the request for privacyinformation is received, the content acquisition section 119 reads out,at step S96, the privacy information from the user information storagesection 63 and controls the session management section 81 to transmitthe privacy information to the content supplying server 3.

When the content supplying server 3 receives the privacy informationfrom the communication apparatus 1-1, it further adds, at step S115,privacy restriction information to the content, to which copyrightrestriction information is added in advance, for example, by the ∘∘ TVstation or the ΔΔ production, based on the privacy information of thecommunication apparatus 1-1. Then, the content supplying server 3transmits the resulting content to the communication apparatus 1-1.Then, the content supplying server 3 ends the content transmissionprocess after it completes transmission of all of such contents.

At step S97, the communication section 23 of the communication apparatus1-1 starts reception of the content transmitted from the communicationapparatus 1-1 and supplies the received content to the content playbacksection 25, thereby ending the content transmission process. Thereafter,the processing returns to step S23 of FIG. 10 and then advances to stepS24.

It is to be noted that, though not shown in the drawings, if theaccounting process is not executed or a content is not transmitted fromthe content supplying server 3 in the process of FIG. 14, then theprocessing returns to step S21 of FIG. 10, at which the communicationapparatus 1-1 waits that another content is selected by the user. Then,the processes at the steps following the step S21 are repeated inresponse to selection of another content.

As described above, although personal enjoyment of a content within aterminal does not conventionally infringe upon the copyright or privacyinformation, since a communication process by which a content issimilarly enjoyed personally involves intervention of a network, thereis the possibility that infringement upon the copyright or privacyinformation may occur. In contrast, since a content of an object ofsimultaneous playback is authenticated in terms of both of the copyrightand the privacy by each of pertaining apparatus, infringement upon thecopyright and the privacy can be suppressed.

Accordingly, also in a remote communication process, a variety ofcontents can be used while the protection of the copyright and theprivacy is promoted, and each user can further enjoy communication withanother user at a remote place. Consequently, the demand for contents isexpanded.

It is to be noted that the foregoing description relates to an examplewherein license information of the copyright is acquired for eachcommunication apparatus. In particular, conventional license informationof the copyright basically restricts copying and transfer on a networkof a content and is sold presupposing personal use of an individual.

In contrast, the present invention proposes that particular usersperform synchronous playback of a common content through a network sothat active communication may be achieved. It is anticipated that thisgives rise to an effect of increasing the demand for contents of anobject of synchronous playback. However, where conventional licenseinformation of the copyright is used, a number of package media such asoptical disks or licenses equal to the number of communication apparatusfor synchronously playing back a common content in remote communicationmust be purchased.

In particular, if a case wherein a space in which a common content isused to perform synchronous playback by particular users through anetwork is regarded as a single virtual content viewing space by theparticular user group in accordance with the present invention iscompared with another case wherein the particular users of the groupgather together in a certain real content viewing space and performviewing (in this instance, only one content utilization charge isimposed), then a comparatively high content utilization charge isimposed. This results in spoiling of the interest of users and mayobstruct the effect of increase in demand for contents and thedistribution of contents.

Therefore, for a content to be used for synchronous playback in remotecommunication (such synchronous playback is hereinafter referred to alsoas shared utilization. In particular, sharing in the present inventionis different from conventional sharing in that it is not mere sharing ofa content but signifies synchronous playback of a content), a copyrightlicense which presupposes shared utilization but not conventionalpersonal utilization of an individual, that is, license informationwhich restricts utilization of a content only to shared utilization(such license information is hereinafter referred to as sharedutilization license information), is produced and sold. In thisinstance, such shared utilization restriction information as illustratedin FIG. 16 is added to the copyright restriction information of anobject content.

FIG. 16 illustrates an example of a configuration of the sharedutilization restriction information to be added to a content. Thisshared utilization restriction information requires copyright protectionwhich is provided by a package medium such as, for example, the opticaldisk 92 or from the content supplying server 3, and is added to thecopyright restriction information described hereinabove with referenceto FIG. 9 which is added to a content whose utilization is restrictedonly to the shared utilization.

In the example of FIG. 16, the shared utilization restrictioninformation includes shared terminal number restriction information, asharing restriction user, a sharing restriction district, sharingrestriction time and so forth.

The shared terminal number restriction information is information whichrestricts the number of users who may synchronously play back thecontent (number of communication apparatus). The sharing restrictionuser is information which restricts an object user by which the contentis to be synchronously played back, and, for example, information foridentifying the personal object user, the group to which the userbelongs, the privacy level and so forth are set.

The sharing restriction district is information which restricts thedistrict in which the communication apparatus 1 by which a content is tobe synchronously played back are installed. For example, in the case ofa broadcast content, simultaneous playback with a communicationapparatus in a country other than Japan in which the content isbroadcast can be restricted. The sharing restriction period isinformation which restricts a term in which the content can be playedback in synchronism.

FIG. 17 shows an example of a detailed configuration of the playbackpermission section 85 of FIG. 4 ready for the shared utilizationrestriction information of FIG. 16. It is to be noted that the playbackpermission section 85 of FIG. 17 has a configuration similar to that ofthe playback permission section 85 of FIG. 6 described hereinaboveexcept that it additionally includes a shared utilization authenticationsection 151 and a sharing restriction information updating section 152.

The playback authentication control section 111 performs a time countingoperation using a clock built therein while a content is played back insynchronism after the content utilization authentication by thecopyright authentication section 112 and the privacy authenticationsection 115 completes. The playback authentication control section 111controls the shared utilization authentication section 151 atpredetermined intervals to execute the authentication process of theshared utilization copyright.

The shared utilization authentication section 151 acquires apparatusinformation of those communication apparatus (the number of apparatus, adistrict for the communication apparatus, group information and soforth) which currently take part in remote communication (that is, whichare performing synchronous playback) from the session management section81. Then, the shared utilization authentication section 151 decidesbased on the acquired apparatus information whether or not the sharedutilization restriction information added to the content which is beingcurrently played back is satisfied. Then, the shared utilizationauthentication section 151 controls the accounting processing section114 and the sharing restriction information updating section 152 inresponse to a result of the decision to cooperate with the playbackauthentication control section 111 to perform an accounting process andupdate the shared utilization restriction information or supply anotification of rejection of authentication of the shared utilization(that is, synchronous playback) to the notification informationproduction section 118 though the playback authentication controlsection 111.

The sharing restriction information updating section 152 acquires, as aresult of the accounting process by the accounting processing section114, new utilization restriction information from the authenticationserver 4 and updates the utilization restriction information added tothe content with the acquired utilization restriction information.

Now, the authentication process of the shared utilization copyright isdescribed with reference to a flow chart of FIG. 18. For example, thecommunication apparatus 1-1 and 1-2 perform an accounting process basedon operations of the user A and the user X, respectively, andindividually acquire shared utilization license information of thecontent selected at step S3 of FIG. 5.

Then, at step S3 of FIG. 5, a process similar to the contentauthentication process described hereinabove with reference to FIG. 10is executed. At step S4, synchronous playback of the content by thecontent playback section 25 is started under the control of the playbacksynchronization section 83.

After the synchronous playback of the program is started, the playbackauthentication control section 111 performs a counting operation bymeans of the clock built therein at step S151 and waits thatpredetermined time elapses. Then, if it is decided that thepredetermined time elapses, then the processing advances to step S152,at which the playback authentication control section 111 controls theshared utilization authentication section 151 to decide whether or notthe shared utilization restriction information is satisfied.

In particular, the shared utilization authentication section 151acquires, at step S152, apparatus information (district of thecommunication apparatus, group information and so forth) relating to thecommunication apparatus which take part in the remote communication atpresent (that is, which are playing back the content in synchronism witheach other). It is to be noted that, although the session managementsection 81 stores, in the starting process of the remote communicationat step S1 of FIG. 5, apparatus information, if the apparatusinformation is not stored, then the session management section 81acquires apparatus information from the pertaining apparatus through thecommunication section 23 and supplies the acquired apparatus informationto the shared utilization authentication section 151.

Then, the shared utilization authentication section 151 decides based onthe acquired apparatus information whether or not the shared utilizationrestriction information added to the content being currently played backis satisfied. If it is decided that the shared utilization restrictioninformation added to the content being currently played back is notsatisfied, then the processing advances to step S153. At step S153, theshared utilization authentication section 151 supplies a notificationthat the shared utilization restriction information is not satisfied,that is, a notification of rejection of authentication for sharedutilization, to the notification information production section 118through the playback authentication control section 111 so that thenotification information production section 118 may produce an image fornotifying the user that the shared utilization restriction informationis not satisfied. Thereafter, the processing advances to step S154.

After the notification information production section 118 produces animage for notifying the user that the shared utilization restrictioninformation is not satisfied, it causes the produced image to bedisplayed on the display unit 41 which forms the outputting section 21through the image sound synthesis section 26.

At step S154, the shared utilization authentication section 151 controlsthe accounting processing section 114 to cooperate with theauthentication server 4 to execute an accounting process for satisfyingthe shared utilization restriction information. Thereafter, theprocessing advances to step S155.

Thus, the authentication server 4 transmits new shared utilizationrestriction information determined by the accounting process to thecommunication apparatus 1-1. The communication section 23 of thecommunication apparatus 1-1 receives the shared utilization restrictioninformation and supplies it to the shared utilization authenticationsection 151.

At step S155, the shared utilization authentication section 151 acquiresthe shared utilization restriction information and controls the sharingrestriction information updating section 152 to update the sharedutilization restriction information added to the content with theacquired shared utilization restriction information. Then, the sharedutilization authentication section 151 ends the authentication processfor the shared utilization copyright. It is to be noted that, when theaccounting process or the like is not executed, naturally thesynchronous playback of the content is ended compulsorily.

On the other hand, if it is decided at step S152 that the sharedutilization restriction information added to the content being currentlyplayed back is not satisfied, then since there is no problem with regardto the copyright for the shared utilization, the shared utilizationauthentication section 151 ends the authentication process for theshared utilization copyright.

As described above, when a content is being played back in synchronismin the remote communication process, the shared utilization restrictioninformation added to the content is confirmed periodically to decidewhether or not the shared utilization is authenticated. Therefore, itcan be suppressed that the content is played back in synchronism while alicense for shared utilization is infringed upon.

Accordingly, for example, if a request to newly take part in a remotecommunication process exceeding shared utilization restriction of theshared utilization restriction information is issued, then anotification of the shared utilization restriction information is issuedor an accounting process to the authentication server 4 for increasingthe restricted number of members is executed.

It is to be noted that, while, in FIG. 18, the authentication processfor the shared utilization copyright is performed while a content isbeing played back in synchronism, the authentication process may beexecuted otherwise in the content utilization authentication process atstep S3 of FIG. 5 before the synchronous playback of the content isstarted.

Further, the process described above may be executed by at least one ofthose communication apparatus by which the remote communication process(that is, the synchronous playback of the content) is being performed.Furthermore, the process described above may be implemented on theauthentication server 4.

As described above, in the present invention, since the remotecommunication process is executed, communication which is more activeand natural than that by a conventional remote place communicationapparatus such as a voice telephone set, a visual telephone set or avideo conference system.

In particular, in a conventional system, when the user X who views abroadcast content distributed on the real-time basis on a conventionalTV apparatus uses a voice telephone set to convey its impressions uponviewing the broadcast content to the user A at a remote place, it issometimes difficult for the user A, who does not actually view thecontent, to understand the situation.

However, where the communication apparatus of the present invention isused, the user A and the user X at remote places can share the samecontent at the same point of time. Further, since also the image andsound of the opposite party is played back simultaneously on a smallscreen or the like, the user A and the user X can have such a feeling ofbeing at the same place, a sense of togetherness or a sense of intimacyas are had when they communicate with each other sitting face to facewith each other although they are at remote places.

Further, in this instance, even if a content requires copyrightprotection or privacy protection, since authentication regarding thecopyright and privacy information is performed without fail beforesynchronous playback is entered, infringement upon the copyright and theprivacy of the content is suppressed. Further, a great variety ofcontents can be played back in synchronism and enjoyed. Consequently, aneffect that the demand for contents is expanded can be achieved.

Furthermore, since copyright license information which presupposesshared utilization (which allows synchronous playback by a plurality ofpersons on a network) is used, a provider of contents can expand, in thecase of shared utilization, the range of business by setting the pricelower than that in licenses directed for personal utilization or thelike. Further, an effect that the interest of customers who hesitate toutilize contents because of increase of the cost required foracquisition of a license is promoted and as a result the demand forcontents expands can be achieved.

While the series of processes described above can be executed byhardware, it may otherwise be executed by software. In this instance,for example, the communication apparatus 1-1 to 1-3, content supplyingserver 3 and authentication server 4 of FIG. 1 are formed from such apersonal computer 401 as shown in FIG. 19.

Referring to FIG. 19, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 411 executesvarious processes in accordance with a program stored in a ROM (ReadOnly Memory) 412 or a program loaded from a storage section 418 into aRAM (Random Access Memory) 413. Also data necessary for the CPU 411 toexecute the various processes are suitably stored into the RAM 413.

The CPU 411, ROM 412 and RAM 413 are connected to one another by a bus414. Also an input/output interface 415 is connected to the bus 414.

An inputting section 416 including a keyboard, a mouse and so forth, anoutputting section 417 including a display unit which may be a CRT(Cathode Ray Tube), an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) unit or the like, aloudspeaker and so forth, a storage section 418 formed from a hard diskor the like, a communication section 419 including a modem, a terminaladapter and so forth are connected to the input/output interface 415.The communication section 419 performs a communication process through anetwork such as a radio network.

As occasion demands, a drive 420 is connected to the input/outputinterface 415. A magnetic disk 421, an optical disk 422, amagneto-optical disk 423, a semiconductor memory 424 or the like issuitably loaded into the drive 141, and a computer program read from theloaded medium is installed into the storage section 418 as occasiondemands.

Where the series of processes is executed by software, a program whichconstructs the software is installed from a network or a recordingmedium into a computer incorporated in hardware for exclusive use or,for example, a personal computer for universal use which can executevarious functions by installing various programs.

The recording medium is formed as a package medium such as, as shown inFIG. 19, a magnetic disc 421 (including a flexible disc), an opticaldisc 422 (including a CD-ROM (Compact Disc-Read Only Memory) and a DVD(Digital Versatile Disc)), or a magneto-optical disc 18 (including an MD(Mini Disc) (trademark)), or a semiconductor memory 424 which has theprogram recorded thereon or therein and is distributed to provide theprogram to a user separately from an apparatus body. Else, the recordingmedium is formed as a ROM 412, a hard disc included in the storagesection 418 or the like in which the program is recorded and which isprovided to a user in a state wherein the program is incorporated in anapparatus body.

It is to be noted that, in the present specification, the stepsindicated in the flow charts may be but need not necessarily beprocessed in a time series in the order as described, and includeprocesses which are executed in parallel or individually without beingprocessed in a time series.

Further, in the present specification, the term system is used torepresent an entire apparatus composed of a plurality of devices orapparatus.

The invention claimed is:
 1. An information processing apparatus,comprising: a communication circuit configured to communicate with aplurality of information processing apparatuses via a network; anauthentication circuit configured to determine, based on personalrestriction information including a privacy level of the informationprocessing apparatus relative to a sharing group included in contentdata in addition to copyright restriction information, whether use ofthe content data is permitted; a sharing decision circuit configured todetermine whether utilization of the content data is permitted based onat least a comparison between a maximum number of sharing terminalsinformation included in the content data and a number of differentinformation processing apparatuses performing synchronous playback withthe information processing apparatus; and a synchronous playback circuitconfigured to play back the content data in synchronism with thedifferent information processing apparatuses, when use of the contentdata is permitted based on the personal restriction information and thecomparison of the maximum number of sharing terminals information andthe number of different information processing apparatuses.
 2. Theinformation processing apparatus according to claim 1, furthercomprising: a notification circuit configured to control notification ofuse restriction when the circuitry determines at least one of theauthentication circuit and the sharing decision circuit determines thatuse of the content data is not permitted.
 3. The information processingapparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a recording controlcircuit configured to control recording of the content data based on thecopyright restriction information and the personal informationrestriction information.
 4. The information processing apparatusaccording to claim 1, further comprising: a reception circuit configuredto receive sound and images from the other information processingapparatuses; and a synthesis circuit configured to synthesize a soundand an image of the content data played back in synchronism by saidplayback circuit and the sound and the image of the user received bysaid reception section.
 5. An information processing method, comprising:communicating, via a communication device, with different informationprocessing apparatuses via a network; determining, in an authenticationcircuit and based on personal restriction information including aprivacy level of the information processing apparatus relative to asharing group which is included in the content data, whether use of thecontent data is permitted; determining, in a sharing determinationcircuit, whether use of the content data is permitted based on acomparison between a maximum number of sharing terminals information anda number of the different information processing apparatuses performingsynchronous playback with the information processing apparatus; andsynchronously playing back the content data with the differentinformation processing apparatuses, when use of the content data ispermitted based on the personal restriction information and thecomparison of the maximum number of sharing terminals information andthe number of different information processing apparatuses.
 6. Anon-transitory computer readable storage medium storingcomputer-readable instructions thereon that, when executed by aprocessor of an information processing apparatus, causes the processorto perform a process comprising: communicating with differentinformation processing apparatuses via through a network; determiningbased on personal restriction information including a privacy level ofthe information processing apparatus relative to a sharing group whichis included in the content data, whether use of the content data ispermitted; determining whether use of the content data is permittedbased on a comparison between a maximum number of sharing terminalsinformation and a number of the different information processingapparatuses performing synchronous playback with the informationprocessing apparatus; and synchronously playing back the content datawith the different information processing apparatuses, when use of thecontent data is permitted based on the personal restriction informationand the comparison of the maximum number of sharing terminalsinformation and the number of different information processingapparatuses.
 7. The information processing apparatus according to claim1, wherein the sharing restriction information includes a sharingterminal number restriction, a sharing group identity restriction, asharing district restriction, and a sharing time restriction and theapparatus information related to the different information processingapparatuses further includes a group identity of each of the differentinformation processing apparatuses and a geographical district of eachof the different information processing apparatuses.
 8. The informationprocessing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: apermission request processing circuit configured to, when personalinformation related to the information processing apparatus does notsatisfy the personal restriction information, request utilization of thecontent data from a management user of the personal restrictioninformation.
 9. The information processing apparatus according to claim1, further comprising an accounting processing circuit configured to,when the number of the different information processing apparatusescommunicating with the information processing apparatus is greater thana number permitted by the sharing restriction information, perform anaccounting process and update the sharing restriction information. 10.The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein theimage of the user is superimposed on the image of the content data. 11.The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein theinformation processing apparatus is registered in at least two groupsand the personal restriction information includes a privacy level foreach of the at least two groups.
 12. The information processingapparatus according to claim 11, wherein the privacy level is differentfor each of the at least two groups.
 13. The information processingapparatus according to claim 12, wherein each privacy level is set toone of a predetermined range of privacy levels.
 14. The informationprocessing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: abroadcast reception circuit configured to receive the content data. 15.The information processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein thecontent data includes a television broadcast.
 16. The informationprocessing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the synthesis circuitcross-fades the image of the user and the image of the content.
 17. Theinformation processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein thesynthesis circuit synthesizes the image of the user as apicture-in-picture image on the image of the content data.
 18. Theinformation processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein thesynthesis circuit synthesizes the image of the user and the image of thecontent data by wiping the image of the user onto the image of thecontent data from a predetermined direction.
 19. The informationprocessing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sharing decisioncircuit further determines whether use of the content data is permittedbased on at least a location of the information processing apparatus.20. The information processing apparatus according to claim 19, whereinthe sharing decision circuit further determines whether use of thecontent data is permitted based on at least a time at which sharing ofthe content data is initiated.